Your psychological makeup plays an important role in how well you stick to a schedule. Though every woman runner is unique, we tend to fall into one of five basic running types, says Philadelphia-based cross-country and marathon coach Geanie Young. Below we've listed those five basic types, along with advice for each:

* The beginner. This one's easy-if you've never run before, you're a beginner. For now, you must focus on just one goal: increasing distance. To work up to a half-hour of running, start with the following run/walk workouts two to three times a week. (Repeat each sequence three times, for a total of 30 minutes.)

Once you can comfortably run for a half-hour straight, consult the categories below to pinpoint your new running type, then proceed accordingly.

* The noncompetitive fitness runner. If you run to beat stress, improve your health, and keep your weight in check, but you don't care about speed or increasing your distance, you fall into this category. At minimum, run at least three times a week for 20 to 30 minutes. You don't need to do speed or hill workouts, but running the same route and distance all the time may dampen your motivation. To stay charged, run with friends and find new routes and scenery. Though you don't need to compete for time, sign up for a race once every few months to meet others and enjoy the camaraderie.

* The genetically challenged competitor. You're in this category if you don't let your short stature, wide hips, or large-boned body stop you from picking off the racers ahead of you. Yet you also have a tendency to beat yourself up mentally after races, complaining that, if you'd only worked harder, you could've passed one more runner.

Make the best of your genetics by training consistently and putting in one to two speed or hill workouts a week. Join a training group to help you push your pace. Keep a training diary so that you can see which techniques work. After each race, congratulate yourself on a job well done, no matter what your time or place.

* The genetically gifted competitor. If you ran your first marathon for fun and, surprise, finished in 3:30 or faster, you fall into this category. To make the most of your talent, seek coaching, training partners, and structured training programs.

* The addictive runner. If you experience numerous nagging injuries, you may fall into this category. Learn one of the golden rules of running: More isn't always better. Schedule downtime into your training by taking off at least 1 day each week. Also make sure to give yourself some recovery time after every race.